News: Ryanair TV Advert blocked
Flights > News > # 1056 (08/11/2006)
ITV has been blocked from airing a “potentially misleading” Ryanair advert following complaints from a rival airline.
Monarch Airlines reported the ad, which claimed Ryanair was offering free seats, and complained to the Adverising Standards Authority that it was not strictly true. It pointed out that there every seat would have a cost because of compulsory extra taxes and charges.
After an investigation, industry watchdog the Advertising Standards Authority found Ryanair in breach of its rules. The lowest amount payable under the terms of the promotion was £11.70, not the zero figure quoted in the ad.
An ASA statement said: “Because the non-optional charges were not impossible to quantify, we considered that the ad was in breach of the Code.”
The Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre had refused to clear the commercial for broadcast because it thought the £0 offer was “potentially misleading”.
Responding to the investigation, ITV said reasonable viewers would realise that flight costs would include taxes and charges payable at the departure point because its voice-over and on-screen text made details clear.
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